Jean Diderot

This chapter on Bookbinding is from Diderot’s Encyclopedie,

published over the course of more than twenty years (1751-1777):

BOOKBINDING

Containing 6 Plates

The top of this Plate depicts a bindery, where several binders are occupied , one in a , in beating the swell; another b, called a sewer , sewing a book ; a third in c, trimming the edges in the lying press, another in d, closing the wide press : the rest of the bindery employed in various bookbinding steps.
fig. 1. beating marble . A, the marble. B, the block.
2. block of the beating marble. A A, notch.
3. the beating hammer. A , the head. B, the handle.
4. sewing bench . A A, the top of the bench. BB, mortise. CC, the feet. DD, the threaded uprights . E, the bar. F F, the sewing threads.
5. & 6. balls of thread to sew the books,
7. the bar of the sewing bench. A, the curved part. B B, the nuts.
8 & 9. Figure of the sewing bench. A A, the screws. BB, the pivots.
10. & 11. the collars of the screws of the sewing bench.
12. Template. A A , the notches.
13. & 14. large & small folder.

Fig- 1. trimming press. A A, the bench of the press. B B, the press.
2. 3. 4. & 5- side of the press stand. A A , etc. the tenons. BB, etc. the mortises.
6. & 7. bar at the top of the stand.
8. 9. 10. & 11. Long components of the stand. A A , etc. the tenons. B B , etc. the rails. C C, the mortises,
12. 13. 14. & 15. Traverse of the bench. A A, etc. the tenons. B B, etc. the rails.
16. & 17. Side panel of the bench of the press.
18. & 19. Framing for the long panels. AA, etc. the tenons.
20. 21. 22. & 23. small panels for long side of the bench of the press.
24. Trimming press. A A, ,etc. the jaws. B B , the screws. C C, DD, the guide-rails. E, the tub.
25. Front jaw. A A, the hole of the screws. BB, the hole of the guides.
26. Back jaw. A A, the nuts of the screws. B B , the hole of the guides.
27. guiding rail.
28. & 29. Guide-rails of the press.
30. & 31 Screws for the press. A A , the screws. B B, the heads. C C , the handle.

Fig- 1- tub of the press. A, the front shoe. B, the back shoe. C, the screws. D D , the guides. E, the bolt of the knife.
2. Back shoe. A , the hole of the bolt. B B , the hole of guide. C , sliding groove. 3. Front shoe. A, the hole of the screws. BB, the hole for the guides. C , notch of the knife. 4. Screw. A, the scew. B , the handle. 5. & 6. Guides. 7. Trimming knife. A, the knife. B, the eye.
8. Bolt of the trimming knife. A, the head. B , the stem. C, the screws.
9. Nut of the bolt. A A, the ears.
10. Key for the nut of the bolt. A , the eye. B, the handle.
11.& 12. backing boards.
13. Backed book . A, the book. BB, the boards.
14. Book in cords. A , the book. B B , the boards.
15. Shears. A A , the blades. BB, the washers.
16. Scissors. A A, the blades. BB, the washers.
17. Ruler to cut cardboard. A, the hand.
18. Paring knife. A, the knife. BB, the handles.
19. ruler or rail to hold down.
20. saw for sewing holes. A, the saw. B, the handle.
21. scraper. A A, the blades.
22. Polishing iron. A, the iron; B, the handle.
23. The paring knife . A, the blade. B, the handle.
24. Knife. A , the knife. B , the handle.
25. board for scraping skins. AA, the convex part.
26. Paring stone.
27. & 28. burnishers. A A, etc. the polishers.

Fig. 1. Large standing press. A A , the jaws . B , the screws. C , Platen acting as a nut. D, stationary platen to press against E, the moving platen. F, the books in press between boards. G, the small platen. H , the lever. 2. & 3. sides. A A , etc. the mortises. B B,the feet. C C, the rails. 4. screws. A , the screws. B, the head. CC , the hole. D, the turret. 5. small platen. A, the hole of the turret for the screws. 6. & 7. boards . 8. moveable platen. A A, the tenons of the guide. 9. lever of the press. 10. Platen acting as a nut. A A, the block. B , the hole of the nut. CC.the tenons. 11. platen acting as support. AA, the tenons.
12. hand press . AA, the jaws , B B , the screws. C C, the guides. D D , the books in press between boards.
13. back-shoe. A A, the nuts. BB, the hole for the guides.
14. front-shoe. A A, the hole of the screws. BB, the hole for the guides
15. & 16. small pressing boards.
17. & 18. guide rod of the hand press .
19.& 20. screws. AA , the screws. BB, the heads.

The top of image depicts a binder-gilder studio, where several workers are occupied ; one in a, gilding edges, another in b, pushes the roll on the board of one volume; near him is the stove to heat the tools: worker in c, applying gold leaves on the spines of the books.
Fig. 1. Table for tooling the books. A A, the top. B B, the feet.
2.gilding cushion. A A , the top. B B , the boards. C , small booklet full of gold leaves. D, cut gold leaf.
3. small cushion for edge gilding. A, the top. B B, the sides.
4. Stove to heat gilding tools. A, the ashtray. B , the grid. CC, the boards. D D, the feet.
5. press for gilding the edges. A A , the sides. B B , the screws. C C , the books pressed between boards.
6. side of back. AA, the hole of the nuts.
7. side. AA, the hole of the screws.
8. & 9. screws of the gilding press. A A, the screws. BB, the heads.
10. booklet full of gold leaves. A, the gold leaf.
11. small pot for glair. A, the pot. B, the brush.
12. & 13. gilding boards.
14. bucket placed under the gilding press, to receive dripping water.

Fig. 1. blocking press. A A, the sides. B, the screws. C , the platen nut. D , the moving platen. E, the fixed platen. F , the small platen. G , the lever. H , the book, with one of the board in press. I , the cushion. K, the cabinet full of cushions, rolls, tools, & other gilding instruments.
2. & 3. sides of the press. A A , etc. the mortises. BB, the feet. CC, the tails notches. DD, the rails.
4. platen acting as a nut. A A , the head. B , the hole of the nut. C C, the tenons.
5. moving platen. A A, the tenons.
6. screws of the press. A , the screws. B, the head. C C , the hole. D, the turret.
7. small platen. A, the hole for the turret of the screws.
8. lever of the press.
9. notched platen. A A, the tenons. B B. the tails.
10. & 11. top platen & bottom of the cabinet. A A, etc. the tenons.
12. knife to cut gold leaf.
13. Simple ruler.
14. knife to cut gold leaf. A , the blade. B , the handle.
15. Tongs to lift & move gold leaf. A, the head. B, the branches.
16. burnishing stone. A, the tool. B, the handle.
17. polishing iron. A, the tooth. B, the handle.
18. tooling roll. A , the roll. B, the fork. C. the stem. D, the handle.
19. 20. & 21. Center & corner tools for gilding. A A, etc. the tools. B B , etc. the stems. D D , etc. the handles.
22. & 23. Brass letters for titling. A A , the tools. B B, the stems. C C , the manches.
24. Type holder. A, the pallet. B, the stem. C, the handle.
25. simple pallet. A, the pallet. B , the stem. C, the handle.
26. scraper with two heads. A, the blade. B, C, the handle.
27. Gilder’s pallet for coats of arms. A , the cushion. B, the tenon.
23. Drawing of a monogram used on the spine of books.